The big man from Longford is hitting the airwaves this festive season with One More Ho Ho Ho. It’s a song that he has taken all the way across the broad Atlantic.

“I got it from Larry (Slim) Sullivan over in Boston. He has written a good many songs over the years. Larry is Irish-American and has a great love for Ireland. I like the song and it is going down very well at the shows and on the airwaves,” says Mick.

This is Mick’s third Christmas song over the years. Snowbound was composed by Jet Calders, formerly of the Hi-Lows Band, who now lives in Cavan. Let The Bells Ring Out For Christmas was written by Martin Cleary.

Mick and the band have a busy line-up of shows during the Christmas season, while February will see him head back to America, where he will join a host of artists for the annual Gertie Byrne Caribbean Cruise in February.

“It is great to be invited back again this year. We had a brilliant time on the cruise last year. Gertie runs a fine show and this event sells itself year after year at this stage.”

An English tour is in the diary for Easter, while another trip to Scotland follows in May. CL

Sean captured the true Christmas spirit

Sean Keane is keeping the home fires burning this season. The Galway man has just released his debut seasonal album, Christmas By The Hearth, a heart-warming collection of songs from the acclaimed Caherlistrane man.

Sean, who has a string of dates around the country over the coming few weeks, is busy between a demanding schedule at home and a series of shows in Germany and other places. The album features three original songs composed by Johnny B Broderick, Iggy Broderick and Sean Keane. Poughkeepsie takes its name from a town in upstate New York. Stay Awhile is an emigration song with roots in Connemara, while Christmas By The Hearth gives the album its title. Like The First Time It’s Christmas is a haunting Ulster song, composed by the Sands family from Down, and beautifully performed by Sean and his sister Dolores. The Mountains of Pomeroy is the only non-Christmas song in the collection. Other favourites include Silent Night, Oh Holy Night and Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.

The album was recorded in Mountain View Studios in Cong and was produced by Sean Keane and Pat Coyne.